New improvements on Waco Road and Route B

One of the most dangerous intersections in Columbia will soon be seeing some new safety features.

The Columbia City Council held a public hearing tonight on the proposed improvements to the intersection of Waco Road and Route B.

The improvements would include a traffic signal, a pedestrian cross walk, as well as raised islands.

ABC 17 News looked into how many crashes have happened at the intersection, and over the last three years Route B saw six fatal crashes.

Route B is a heavily traveled Route with a lot of manufacturing companies located along the road, connecting Hallsville and Columbia.

Part of the concern of the safety at that intersection came from Kraft Foods about their trucks not being able to make a left turn onto State Route from Waco Road. Kraft foods says on a daily basis 30 to 32 trucks per day come to their plant.

The company asked MoDOT for some help in looking into safety improvements and the city council agreed that safety is a priority, as well as allowing business to continue to come to Columbia.

Construction is scheduled to start the spring of next year, and would cost $221,000 to construct and $3,000 a year to maintain.

Project overseers say the improvements are cheaper than putting a roundabout in.